Q&A with Dr. Partap Chauhan - Director, Jiva Ayurveda

How did the idea of creating Jiva Ayurveda germinate in your mind?

Jiva Ayurveda started with the philosophy of creating a healthy, happy and peaceful society with Ayurveda.  Ayurveda is more than a treatment science; it is a way of life that our ancestors followed. Unfortunately it was systematically sidelined during the British occupation. Later on, in the society’s pursuit of instant-gratification this precious knowledge slipped through our fingers. We are committed to reverse that, and reinstate Ayurveda to its former glory and ‘take it to every home’, across borders. 

Jiva Ayurveda has been the flag bearer of Authentic Ayurveda in India and abroad since the last 27 years, constantly thriving to revive Ayurveda and popularize the ancient science and make it more accessible for the common man. 

What is the understanding and acceptance of Ayurveda in the European market?

The acceptance of Ayurveda in Europe today is more than it ever was! The fact that Jiva Ayurveda was invited by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences to address the European Parliament on 28th January, 2020 speaks volumes of the changing perceptions regarding Ayurveda. 

Ayurveda has been practised sparingly in European countries for quite some time now; however the acceptance among masses had been somewhat lukewarm, partly because of scepticism and partly because of the lack of initiatives from the Ayurveda community at large. For many decades, Ayurveda was largely considered a pseudo-science and Ayurveda doctors did not have the privilege of practising, much less prescribe herbal medicines. 

Jiva Ayurveda is changing that through broader collaborations with research institutes, independent scholars and policy makers. It must also be noted that organisations such as EURAMA (European Ayurveda Medical Associaton) and EUAA (European Ayurveda Association) are taking initiatives to promote, develop and establish Ayurveda. In addition to that, governments are also eager to incorporate Ayurveda to achieve their long-term healthcare policies. 

What was the goal of the European Parliament in organising the session on Ayurveda?

Europe is moving towards an inclusive healthcare system and to that end the European policy makers are seeking new collaborations to deliver cost-effective solutions for the masses.  Ayurveda can help with creating the blueprint to reduce dependency on expensive synthetic medicines by leveraging the body’s innate ability to heal itself and thereby reducing the cost of healthcare to a great extent. 

If you look at the trend in Nobel Prizes for Medicine over the last several years, looking inwards at the ‘natural’ aspects of human biology has become increasingly important in the search for good health. Medicine, that historically has been a way to treat ailments in isolation from the sufferer, has become much more inclusive now. 

There is a greater cognizance that the ‘patient’ cannot be siloed from his or her ‘ailment’, both needs to be considered as one in order to achieve good health. Ayurveda embodies that philosophy, which ticks all the boxes for Europe’s forward-looking healthcare objectives. 

What is Jiva Ayurveda’s role in increasing global acceptance of Ayurveda?

Technology has been a key-enabler for us to connect with a global patient base. Jiva doctors have been consulting international patients since day one. In 2019, we expanded our international consultation services under the International Medical Research Centre. 

In India, in addition to our range of clinics, we have an established eco-system that caters to patients via tele-consultation. We confident of implementing our telemedicine model at a larger scale for global health and wellness seekers in the near future. 

In addition to treatment, Jiva has also been very active in Ayurveda education since 1994. We teach Ayurveda in Japan, Poland, Lithuania, Russia, France, Malaysia and Sweden, among many other countries. 

We have also engaged with global thought-leaders and think-tanks in Europe, Japan, China, South Africa and USA. These engagements have been groundbreaking in clarifying the potential of Ayurveda to global experts, which we believe are very crucial in dispelling the skepticism associated with Ayurveda, helping the world see it in a new light. 

What is Jiva Ayurveda doing regarding standardisation of Ayurveda medicines in India?

Standardization ensures consistency in the delivery of highest quality of treatment, medicines and care to patients. Jiva Ayurveda has standardized medicines as well as treatment journeys with the help of technology. 

Driven by machine learning and advanced automation, the Jiva Ayunique™ protocol system is first of its kind that empowers Jiva doctors to deliver precise and accurate treatment anytime, anywhere. So, a patient consulting a Jiva doctor in Punjab can move to Pune and continue the same treatment, with our assurance of consistently high quality of medicine, treatment and care. So, the key takeaway is the use of technology to achieve standardization. It enhances transparency across the system and trust among patients. While we continue to learn and develop our system with our learnings, we are also open to the idea of sharing our domain knowledge for a nationwide-level implementation. 

In the growing market of wellness and Ayurveda, where does Jiva place itself?

The global wellness market is projected to grow to USD 198 billion by 2022. The sector grew by 6.4% annually from 2015-2017. There is a vast opportunity to translate the insights and experiences of ‘disease treatment’ into the wellness industry. 

Jiva is uniquely positioned to become an important contributor to the Ayurvedic wellness industry by leveraging its peerless experience of over 27 years of successfully consulting 1 crore patients for 100+ chronic and lifestyle disorders. We are also the pioneer in Ayurveda telemedicine and we are also present in over 80 locations across India through our clinic chain. We have a diverse portfolio of wellness products which are manufactured in our own ISO, HACCP, and GMP certified unit in Faridabad. 

While we are very proud of our legacy, we have an unwavering focus on the future, and our role in the ever-evolving treatment and wellness industry. With that in mind, we had recently launched Jivagram—Centre for Wellbeing, a unique centre that delivers Ayurveda treatment, Panchakarma therapy and other holistic treatments all under one roof, and driven by our specialist treatment experience.